Watch, Wait, Hope
by Darkness' Forbidden Scribe
Summary: Merlin watched. Morgana waited. Arthur was their Hope. They all wanted this cyclic tragedy to end. It only took a few millennia to happen. AU Future!fic, Arthur/Merlin, Matchmaking!Morgana
1. Watch Where You're Going

**I OWN NOTHING!**

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Chapter One: Watch Where You're Going  
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All Merlin can do is watch. Watch as the love of his life loves another. Watch as his love's sweetheart betrays him for another. Watch as everything crumbles. Again. And again. And again. In every single life, Merlin has never known peace. As soon as he met Arthur, he would remember. But Arthur would not. Not unless Merlin made him remember.

But Merlin remembers the joy Arthur feels at loving Gwen, the happiness that encases them for a time. So Merlin steps back and lets them. He lets them destroy one another, and finds his heart crack a little more each time. What he doesn't know is that he isn't the only one.

Merlin knows that Morgana remembers all. She remembers each life, and remembers her first life. After the first few attempts at vengeance, she realizes the pointlessness of it all. She realizes the extent of the suffering Merlin endures. And so she becomes Merlin's rock; the one person he knows will stand by him and let him lean on her.

Many times Morgana tried to interfere; every time she was too late. It is only after she meets Merlin that she would remember, and she often awoke too late. Morgana watches Merlin wither away inside, and can do naught but hold his hand and help him move on to their next lives. She waits for the day when the tragedy ends and the sorrow lifts; she waits for the day when she no longer needs to be Merlin's rock. And so she waits.

And times change. Although in every life, Arthur is born powerful in either wealth or nobility, the rules of the time grow kinder. Arthur does not have to kill Gwen for adultery; he only has to divorce her to set her free. And in the end, Merlin and Morgana there. Watching. Waiting. Hoping.

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Year 2011

Arthur Penn Dragonsbane signed the last of the divorce papers with a sigh of both sadness and relief. He truly loved his once-wife, but he saw quite clearly the unhappiness permeating their lives. He was not surprised when he found her in bed with Lance. He only felt a little betrayed that they did not tell him sooner.

He handed the papers to Elyan, his lawyer, and got up from his office desk. They shook hands and went about their business. Elyan, Arthur knew, was off the inform Jennifer about the papers and their terms. Arthur couldn't bring himself to care about the divorce anymore; it was only a formality. Their marriage had ended a long time back.

As he walked blindly down a hallway, he bumped into someone and heard an extremely familiar yelp as someone crashed to the floor, papers flying everywhere.

"I'm sorry," Arthur apologized as he quickly gathered the papers together to hand back to the man he bumped into. But everything stopped when he met a pair of stunning blue eyes.

And he remembered Everything.

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**R&R Please!**


	2. I'm Tired of Waiting

**I Don't Own MERLIN! Atleast, not BBC's Merlin. Now on to the next chappie!**

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**Chapter Two: I'm Tired Of Waiting**

"Merlin, you dolt!" Merlin flinched at the familiarity, and at the name he hadn't used in so long.

"I-I'm sorry, do I know you?" Merlin said in reply, feigning unfamiliarity with the Once and Future King. He lowered his eyes instinctively, breaking eye contact. His magic could and would rise from his eyes into Arthur's mind if he wasn't careful. The magic would break the block on Arthur's memories, and make him remember everything. Merlin didn't know that the magic beat him to the punch.

"Of course I do, you idiot! You're Merlin, also known as Emrys, Royal Magician of the Court of Camelot, and as your King I demand that you look at me for once in all your bloody lifetimes!" Merlin's eyes met Arthur's and he saw anger, recognition, exasperation, and most of all, he saw love.

"Prat?" He managed to croak, feeling weak and confused. He wasn't supposed to remember, he was supposed to be normal, unlike him, unlike Morgana. He was supposed to just live. Arthur's eyes softened, and he said,

"Of course. Who else?" Merlin couldn't deal with the sudden influx of memories rushing back to the surface with Arthur talking to him with so much familiarity. His eyes flashed gold before he teleported himself to the one constant being in all his lives; Morgana.

Morgana was at home, thankfully, and was watching TV when Merlin dropped into their apartment. When Merlin appeared in front of her, she stood abruptly, her eyes flashing gold once, twice. The curtains were drawn and the doors were shut; they were alone. The telly switched off a moment later.

"Morgana," Merlin said brokenly, "He remembered." Morgana didn't say a word; she gathered him up in her arms like she would a child, and let him cry into her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Merlin. I'm so sorry." After a few minutes, Merlin calmed down and stepped away from Morgana. as he wiped his eyes, Morgana said,

"You have to go to him, Merlin."

"What? No!" exclaimed Merlin in disbelief, "He's still married to Gwen! He hasn't gotten over her yet!"

"Really Merlin? Then why did he send in the divorce papers, just under ten minutes ago? Wake up, Merlin! This cycle, this endless atrocity of despair will only end once you two meet with all of your memories intact! Your magic only rebelled because you would no let him remember in a misguided attempt to protect him!

"What are you protecting him from now? Last time, it was Mordred. But now, Mordred is already dead! He died with my parents. Now are you going to give Arthur a choice this time? Or will you let his destiny be written for him again?"

Merlin blinked once, and vanished. Morgana smiled, satisfied with the results of her pep talk. Hopefully, Merlin would have enough balls to actually talk to the insufferable prat. She smiled and closed her eyes, hiding her golden irises and watched the future coalesce in her mind, the turmoil calming and her headache receding. She could see Merlin awakening Gwen, Lancelot, Gwain, and Elyan, along with a few of Arthur's former knights. All of whom worked in Arthur's company. After all, Arthur was the Once and Future King. And he rules the economy.

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**Please don't kill me! I got on the Merlin Bandwagon, and have been obsessed since! But reviews are welcome. They let me see that you like my work.**


	3. I Hope You Know What You're Doing

**Chapter Three: I Hope You Know What You're Doing**

"Where's that dolt run off to now?" wondered Arthur as he roamed the halls of Dragonsbane Inc. Headquarters. He had already searched the buildings with the help of a few of his employees, which included many of the Knights from Uther's time and the Round Table. When Arthur had first seen them, he burst out laughing at the sheer irony of it all. Thankfully, his employees knew more than to comment on it, lest they get fired. Apparently, he was known for his temper, and the people knew not to cross him. Arthur felt a twinge of satisfaction at his accomplishment in this life.

"But of course," Arthur muttered as he walked down a hall, "What is a king without his court?" He had already found Leon and , and after thoroughly searching the memories of this life, he found that Uther was a senior partner in his company, and Gaius was his private doctor. Lancelot was his best friend, and Gwen, now Jen, was his ex-wife.

The funny thing was that Merlin, now Melvin, was Arthur's new secretary. Arthur hadn't handled the interview at all, though. Gwaine, now George, had hired Merlin. Morgana, now simply Morgan, had already been working in the company as the director of the Dragonsbane Inc. fashion branch.

As Arthur composed himself, a sobering thought struck him. If everyone was here, then Mordred would be here as well. And where there was Mordred, there was his death.

"I have to find Merlin," Arthur muttered as he rode the elevator to his office. As soon as he entered his office, he was hit by a gale of wind, and Merlin was standing before him. Arthur could only open his mouth and close it again, struck speechless by the sudden arrival.

"Did I finally manage to shut you up, your royal Prattiness?" joked Merlin weakly as he stood in front of his king. He was fidgeting terribly, wringing his hands together, and shuffling his feet. It was hard to believe that this was the man who fought off dragons and witches and monsters to protect him when Arthur was being an utter prat.

"Merlin-"

"Arthur-"

They stared at each other before Arthur said,

"You go first." Merlin looked anywhere but Arthur's eyes as he spoke,

"I take it you remember everything?" Arthur nodded an affirmative, and Merlin continued, "I have been in your life since the beginning, and I have watched over you since you were born. I may not look like it, but I'm actually eight years older than you. A surprise, right?"

Arthur couldn't help but goggle at Merlin's obvious _youth_ when the man was _eight years _older than him. And he was _taller _than Arthur to boot!

"How're you _taller_ than me?"

"Well, I _am _older than you! It's not that much of a difference, anyways!"

"Yes it is!"

"No it's not!"

"Merlin!"

"Arthur!" They stood there, glaring at each other, breathing heavily. Their faces were maybe three inches away, and Arthur grabbed Merlin's neck, and kissed him. Merlin gasped and returned the kiss eagerly, almost desperately. Even though he was the shorter one, Arthur dominated the kiss, forcing Merlin back towards the wall, and Merlin's knees turned into jelly, the wall he backed into the only thing other than Arthur holding him up. After what seemed like an eternity to Merlin, they broke away and came up for air.

"Where'd you learn to snog like that?!" gasped Arthur as he fought to regain his breath.

"Oh," snapped Merlin, "You think I was _celibate_ the entire time it took you to realize I existed? Please, I went through puberty _so many times, _it was agonizing! _And_ I had to remember every single experience. But I can tell where _you _learned!"

"Shut up! Of _course_ I had to learn somewhere! I was married, for God's sake! And that's more than I can say for you!"

"For your information I did get married, you clot pole, but it's none of your business!"

"Is too my business!"

"How so, your royal prattiness?"

"Because I love you, you clumsy idiot!" They both froze at the unexpected declaration. Neither of them moved for a long moment, staring at each other and trying to read the other's face.

"You love me," Merlin stated. Arthur swallowed, looked away, and nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't. I was married before you found me, or I found you. I wouldn't cheat, I won't." Merlin's eyes softened, and he brought his hands to Arthur's face.

"I could have _waited,_ you silly prat," He said, before kissing Arthur gently, "And now that we've affirmed that we're both monumental idiots who couldn't get our heads out of our arses long enough to even bloody _confess _to each other, let's go tell Morgana the happy news, yes?"

"Oh, god, she's not going to let me hear the end of this, is she?" Arthur groaned in dismay.

"Of course not. But we'll suffer it together."

"Forever?" Arthur asked, painfully vulnerable.

"Forever," Merlin agreed, wrapping an arm around his King, and walking towards their future.

fin.

a/n: I know, I know, the ending was rushed, but I figured it was a good place to end this; I have way too many other stories and I needed to finish at least one of them. Please R&R~!


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